Page 6 of Ground Zero

To her credit, Agent Mendez reacted like the trained professional she was. She drew her gun before diving behind a large piece of driftwood beside him.

She hit the ground and rolled just as Skidmore’s first shot kicked up sand where she’d been standing.

The other three fake agents spread out in a tactical formation that definitely wasn’t FBI standard. It was too aggressive, too military.

These guys were shooters, not investigators.

“Stay back!” she warned them, gripping her gun as she positioned herself behind the driftwood.

The men stood back, not questioning whether she’d actually pull the trigger.

The irony wasn’t lost on Maverick that the federal agent who’d just arrested him was now the only thing standing between him and a bullet.

“Adams!” Skidmore called out. “Make this easy on everyone and come with us. We just want to talk.”

“Funny way of starting a conversation!” Mendez yelled back.

Maverick jerked against his handcuffs again. They were still locked tight.

Of course.

“Usually people lead with ‘hello,’ not gunfire!” she continued.

Another shot splintered the sand near Sheridan’s position.

She returned fire.

“Federal agents don’t shoot first and ask questions later,” Mendez called out to Skidmore. “Who are you really working for?”

The pretend agent smirked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“We all know that’s not true.”

“Have you heard of Ground Zero?” Skidmore called as if testing the waters.

Maverick’s blood turned to ice.

Ground Zero.

He’d seen that code name in encrypted files he’d been trying to crack for weeks. Files that suggested someone was planning a massive attack. An attack bigger than the hurricane Sigma had tried to manipulate and control a couple of months ago.

These guys were Sigma. Maverick had no doubt about it.

The terrorist group refused to give up and had yet to be brought down completely. Only cells of the group had beentaken out, but more recruits were out there doing their dirty work.

“Agent Mendez.” Urgency zipped through Maverick’s voice. “I need you to get these cuffs off me. Now.”

More shots came from the gunmen.

Still perched behind the large piece of driftwood, she fired another controlled burst. “So you can run? I don’t think so.”

“So I can help you stay alive! These aren’t random shooters. They’re here because they followed you. They were hoping you’d lead them to me.”

Maverick watched as she absorbed that information, and he saw the moment when her training connected the dots he’d been trying to show her.

“You’re right,” she finally said. “They knew exactly why I came to Lantern Beach. Who I was looking for. They must have followed me, hoping I’d lead them to you.”

“Which means someone with access to FBI operations is feeding them intelligence.” Maverick tugged at the cuffs around his wrists again. “Someone who wanted me framed for those cyberattacks.”